Chief police officer acknowledges ‘fragile’ relationship with the Hertfordshire public

HERTFORDSHIRE Chief Constable Charlie Hall has acknowledged the ‘fragile’ relationship between police and their communities.

Nationally he says it has been ‘a turbulent and testing time for public confidence in policing, following a succession of criminal and misconduct issues across many forces’.

And he acknowledges policing nationally has faced ‘one of its most critical challenges in recent memory’.

Mr Hall makes the remarks in his Chief Constable’s report, published as part of the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s annual report for 2022/23.

He says the ‘appalling offending against a number of women’ by former Metropolitan Police Officer David Carrick sent ‘shockwaves through policing’.

And he says they are ‘not complacent’ about their relationship with local communities.

“Nationally it has been a turbulent and testing time for public confidence in policing following a succession of criminal and misconduct issues across many forces,” he says.

“These have been highlighted in various reports, not least most recently that of Baroness Casey which, whilst focused on the Metropolitan Police Service, has implications across policing nationally.

“Hertfordshire itself was responsible for investigating and bringing to justice former Metropolitan Police Officer David Carrick for his appalling offending against a number of women, offending which sent further shockwaves through policing.

“The legitimacy of policing and our relationship with the communities of Hertfordshire, built upon the Peelian principle of ‘Policing by Consent’ remains a driving force for me and my colleagues.

“We are not complacent and know this relationship is fragile and must never be taken for granted.”

He says that in the past 12 months the force has worked ‘to reinforce the expectations the public rightly have of them’.

However he ends his report, noting that he is ‘privileged to lead a committed, talented and courageous workforce who relish the opportunity to serve the public in Hertfordshire’.

Elsewhere, the Police and Crime Commissioner’s annual report stresses that the majority of police officers in the county meet the high standards expected.

It does acknowledge the ‘serious negative impact’ the ‘horrific’ actions of Met police officers David Carrick and Wayne Couzens have had on police legitimacy.

And it highlights ongoing work to improve vetting and identify misconduct.

That includes investment that has been made in professional standards and vetting teams, to carry out more intense scrutiny of existing officers and new recruits.

It includes 60 professional standards department ‘champions’ – emphasising ethical behaviour, as well as rooting out misogyny and misconduct.

It includes the constabulary’s local ethics board and a ‘call it out’ campaign, highlighting the importance of reporting inappropriate behaviour.

Also highlighted are new staff members to hold the constabulary to account in the Office of the PCC – with the PCC scrutinising the work of the vetting, anti-corruption and professional standards teams.

“During this period, and going forward, there has never been a greater need for strong and effective public oversight and governance for policing across the whole of the UK,” says PCC David Lloyd, in the foreword to the report.

“My priority as Police and Crime Commissioner is to hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public, in order to see trust and confidence in policing enhanced and retained.”

• The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Annual Report 2022/23 will be presented to a meeting of the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Panel on Thursday (June 22).

The meeting – which will be held at St Albans and City District Council offices – will start at 6pm and can be attended by members of the public.